Gazeta Wyborcza: Belarusian border guards earned on illegals

Major of Belarusian border guard is awaiting trial in a Polish prison, two more officers - in search.

As Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza reports, one Belarusian customs officer is going to be tried and two more are searched for by Polish police for transporting illegal migrants to the EU.

According to Poland officials, the well-organized crime group was smuggling people (mainly Asia-origin) through Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian borders and also accompanied them to Germany.

The criminal syndicate was protected by a high-rank Belarusian customs official, says Mr. Jarzhynski, a Polish investigator. This was the main reason the group managed to exist for 8 years.

The investigation into this case began four years ago and around 30 members of smugglers’ network have been arrested since then. Finally, the police managed to arrest Major Aliaksandr P., the officer of Belarusian Customs Service. Two more officers are wanted by Polish police.

Aliaksandr P. ‘backed’ the smuggling network from Minsk. Furthermore, he repeatedly visited Poland using a fake passport and thus — even having testimonies against him — Polish customs officers could not arrest him. However, a year ago Aliaksandr P. crossed the border of Poland using his actual passport (probably, the visa in a fake one expired) and was arrested. Now he is expected to be tried.

The smugglers transported illegal migrant mainly from Asia. The Vietnamese citizens paid $5,000 for the service, the Chinese were charged with €6,000. Aliaksandr P. received around $700 for every smuggled person.